The Spanish Women’s national team have qualified to their first ever World Cup semifinals after an epic 2-1 win over the Netherlands on Friday morning.
The 2019 finalists the Netherlands, were dumped out in front of 32,021 fans who attended the match played at the Westpac stadium in Wellington, New Zealand.
The match ended 1-1 in regulation time, forcing the tie to go to extra time where Salma Paralluelo scored the all-important goal for Spain.
The match was highly controversial with the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) being called in three times.
First Spain had their first goal by Esther Gonzalez cancelled after a VAR review showed that Gonzalez was marginally offside when a teammate tried to square the ball to her.
VAR was called in yet again in the 63rd minute following an earlier award of a penalty to the Netherlands by French referee Stephanie Frappart.
The Dutch looked like they were set to take the lead when the referee pointed to the spot and showed a yellow card to Spain’s Irene Paredes foe a push on Dutch striker Lineth Beerrensteyn. VAR however intervened and the yellow card was rescinded and the penalty award cancelled.
Dutch coach, Andries Jonker, expressed his feelings in a post match interview terming the VAR’s decision false and that his side should have been awarded a penalty.
“I saw the replay just now and it should have been a penalty. But it still doesn’t mean that Spain didn’t win deservedly,” Jonker said.
VAR was yet again called upon in the 79th minute for a foul committed on Spanish match winner Salma Paralluelo and they converted from the spot through Maria Frances.
The Dutch however fought back and equalised 10 minutes from time through Stefanie Van der Gragt.
Spain will face either Japan or Sweden on August 15.
){kind=link}
